1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to beverage dispensers and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an electronic control system for beverage dispensers that provides a modular, portable implementation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Beverage dispensers typically include an electronic control system that regulates the dispensing of beverages through the control of one or more dispensing valves and pumps associated therewith. The electronic control system further monitors and regulates a refrigeration unit responsible for cooling the beverage, which typically consists of a beverage syrup and a diluent, such as carbonated or plain water. The electronic control system still further monitors and regulates a carbonation system that produces the carbonated water.
Such a control system for beverage dispensers typically includes a distributed, embedded microcontroller hardware and associated firmware that directs the microcontroller hardware in controlling beverage dispenser operation. Illustratively, the microcontroller hardware monitors beverage dispenser input, which consists of dispensing valve switch activation and the like, and, responsive to such input, the microcontroller hardware produces the necessary control output, which consists of activating a dispensing valve to dispense a desired beverage. In addition, the microcontroller hardware monitors beverage dispenser conditions, which consist of frozen cooling fluid size, carbonated water level, and the like, and, responsive to condition changes, the microcontroller hardware produces the necessary control output, which consists of activating or deactivating a compressor of the refrigeration unit or activating or deactivating a pump of the carbonation system.
Current microcontroller hardware and associated firmware, once implemented, operate adequately in controlling beverage dispensers. Unfortunately, the design process that precedes beverage dispenser implementation is unacceptable because each dispenser is a unique, custom piece of equipment, requiring the microcontroller hardware and associated firmware be designed for the specific component configuration of the beverage dispenser. Thus far, there has been no emphasis on the modularity, portability, and design reuse of microcontroller hardware and associated firmware in beverage dispensers, which leads to long design and implementation periods for new beverage dispensers and the inability to alter existing beverage dispenser designs. Moreover, beverage dispenser designs change rapidly such that it is not cost efficient nor time allocation possible to design microcontroller hardware and firmware for each specific beverage dispenser application.
In today""s world, it is necessary to produce and market higher quality beverage dispensers in shorter time periods. Thus, the process of designing and implementing high quality, reliable beverage dispensers must be streamlined. Consequently, there is an industry wide need for a flexible, modular, and design portable microcontroller hardware and associated firmware that supports any type of beverage dispenser components.
In accordance with the present invention, a beverage dispenser includes an electronic control system for controlling beverage dispenser components. The beverage dispenser components include at least a user interface, a dispensing valve, and a valve interface for regulating the delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve. The user interface includes a lever activated switch, a push button switch, or a keypad switch matrix. The valve interface includes a solenoid operated valve or volumetric valve technology. The dispensing valve includes any suitable pre- or post-mix valve capable of delivering a flow of beverage therefrom.
The electronic control system includes a microcontroller for monitoring the user interface and for activating the valve interface responsive to user input, thereby regulating the delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve. The electronic control system further includes a program memory with firmware configured in a state machine system architecture for controlling the microcontroller. The state machine system architecture supports either a non-preemptive or a preemptive multitasking real time operating system.
The electronic control system further includes an interface to permit communication with external devices, a device interface that permits the electronic control system to monitor and control a wide variety of devices attached to the beverage dispenser, and a modem to permit communication with remotely located external devices. A power supply furnishes the power levels required by the electronic control system, and a replaceable battery furnishes the power levels required by the electronic control system in the event of a power interruption. A battery controller switches between the power supply and the replaceable battery.
The electronic control system further includes a real time clock and a memory for storing time and date stamped sales, diagnostic, and service information. A refrigeration control interfaces the electronic control system with a refrigeration unit of the beverage dispenser. Similarly, a carbonation control interfaces the electronic control system with a carbonation system of the beverage dispenser.
The firmware includes supervisory control firmware, dispenser tasks firmware, and low level drivers firmware. The dispenser tasks firmware includes state machines that direct the microcontroller during the performance of tasks associated with beverage dispenser operation. The supervisory control firmware calls each state machine of the dispenser tasks firmware and, further, coordinates the activities and communications between each state machine of the dispenser tasks firmware. The low level drivers firmware interfaces the dispenser tasks firmware with the microcontroller, interfaces the dispenser tasks firmware with dedicated peripherals of the microcontroller, and interfaces the microcontroller with the beverage dispenser components.
The electronic control system is flexible, modular, and portable because electronic control system hardware and beverage dispenser components may be changed or added with minimal beverage dispenser redesign. Illustratively, changing electronic control system hardware or beverage dispenser components requires modification of the low level drivers firmware without any corresponding modification of the supervisory control firmware and the dispenser tasks firmware. Similarly, adding electronic control system hardware or beverage dispenser components requires modification of the low level drivers firmware and addition of a dispenser tasks firmware state machine and corresponding modification of the supervisory control firmware without modification of existing dispenser tasks firmware state machines.
Alternatively, changing to a different valve interface requires modification of the low level drivers firmware and substitution of a dispenser tasks firmware state machine associated with the different valve interface without any corresponding modification of the supervisory control firmware and other dispenser tasks firmware state machines. Furthermore, changing ratio control parameters associated with a beverage dispense requires modification of a beverage dispense state machine of the dispenser tasks firmware without any corresponding modification of the supervisory control firmware, the low level drivers firmware, and other dispenser tasks firmware state machines. Similarly, changing a beverage dispense ratio through physical means requires substituting components of the valve interface without any corresponding modification of the supervisory control firmware, the dispenser tasks firmware, and the low level drivers firmware.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a beverage dispenser including a flexible, modular, and portable electronic control system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electronic control system, whereby electronic control system hardware and beverage dispenser components may be changed or added with minimal beverage dispenser redesign.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an electronic control system including a program memory with firmware configured in a state machine system architecture that supports either a non-preemptive or a preemptive multitasking real time operating system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electronic control system including an interface to permit communication with external devices.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an electronic control system including a device interface that permits the electronic control system to monitor and control a wide variety of devices attached to the beverage dispenser.
It is even a further object of the present invention to provide an electronic control system including and a modem to permit communication with remotely located external devices.
Still other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become evident to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the following.